Mommy, Please Don't Cry
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Tragedy strikes as the grave of Esme's son is desecrated. Now, the family will do whatever it takes to make her happy again. An unexpected offer is made, and it brings Esme hope. Rated M for dark themes and infantilism
1. Stolen

It was an average day in the Cullen household. It was five o'clock, and all the kids had finally gotten home from school after a day of shopping at the mall. Edward had gone to the piano to play, Bella sitting beside him while Rosalie and Alice had swooped in and taken Renesmee upstairs to play dress up. Jasper and Emmett were upstairs playing on their Xbox, and Esme sat on the couch, watching the news and reading a novel.

"In other news, a series of grave robberies and desecrations has been reported at the Historic Memorial Cemetary in Columbus, Ohio." Esme dropped her book.

_Stop playing, Edward. _She thought, loudly. He did.

"No official list has been given of the names of the graves of those desecrated, but authorities are increasing the guard of the cemetary..." She flipped the news off in a panic.

_Her Baby._

Fear shot through her veins so fast she thought she might have a panic attack. Her baby's grave? Desecrated? No. no no no no NO! It couldn't be! It had to be impossible!

She scrambled to her feet in a most ungraceful manner, and dashed to grab the house phone. She punched in Carlisle's cell phone number as quick as her fingers would allow, and waited impatiently as the phone rang over and over again. Finally, at last, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Carlisle?" She said, anxiously.

"Esme? What's wrong?" He asked, knowing she would never call at work unless it was absolutely necessary.

"You're taking the day off from work tomorrow- we're headed out to Columbus." She hung up the phone, ending the conversation. She needed to pack.

"Esme, wait." Edward called. She turned to look back at him. "Don't try and stop me, Edward. It's a fight you're going to lose." She said, in the most deadly and authoritative voice he'd ever heard her use.

"I don't want to stop you- I want to go with you." He said. "We both do." Bella amended, taking her husband's arm. "You're my Mother." Edward continued, "You won't go through this alone."

"Count us in!" Came Alice and Rosalie's voices from the top of the stairs.

"Us too!" Chorused Emmett and Jasper.

"And me!" Nessie Called from the Stairs as she slid down the banister.

"Well then," Said Esme, sitting down at the computer, "I guess we're all going to Ohio."


	2. Midnight

That night everyone packed their bags and headed to William R. Fairchild International Airport. The process of getting to the flight wasn't nearly as bad as the length of the flight. It was a four and a half hour plane ride. Jasper was uneasy the entire trip, but Alice kept her hand in his the entire time, making just a little bit easier. Edward, Bella and Nessie sat behind them, with Rose and Emmett beside them, whispering to each other. Carlisle and Esme sat in front of them. Carlisle looked fine, but Esme was rigid at his side, looking sick as a dog. Her eyes, though golden, were widened and fear-ridden. She sat still, only moving her shoulders to look like she was breathing, otherwise left alone with her thoughts. She prayed that Edward would allow her the privacy of her thoughts, but partly felt she didn't have it. She couldn't stop worrying about the baby. _Her _Baby. Her insecurities waved over and over again. She was like a pressure cooker- building up until she was fit to burst. The shadows that consumed her mind overwhelmed her. When the flight attendant announced their arrival into Columbus, Esme thought she might explode from pressure.

She walked out of the plane with Carlisle closely following her, swept her bag off of the baggage claim and started over to where the taxi's were. They all arrived and piled into a shuttle, which took them to the hotel Esme had booked for them. It was only to stay the night, but appearances had to be kept. They waited until nightfall to go to the cemetery. Esme led them, having walked the route as a human for many funerals, and as a vampire when she said goodbye to her baby as she went to live with Carlisle. At the wrought Iron gate she hesitated. Did she dare go in? Did she dare see the destruction possibly left to her son's grave? To all of this, she answered yes. She opened the gate with ease, and began walking the familiar path. With every step her breathing grew shakier, as if the mere idea of being here could break her in half. It could, she realized. It could destroy her from the inside out. Closing her eyes, she took the final steps toward her baby's gravestone, and knelt in the dirt.

Finally, she opened her eyes.

Shock met her instantly as the little headstone crumbled apart. She ran her fingers over the stone, her heart breaking through her eyes. It took her a minute to process everything. Her baby's grave was in ruins. The visible proof that she had been a mother to him once was now gone. It was the cruelest torture she could ever imagine. She screamed. It was her worst nightmare come true. A choked sound that was somewhere between a scream and a sob forced it's way out of her throat. A sob followed it, then another as she covered her mouth with her hands. She fell over, face in the dirt as her body was wracked with horrible sobs. One hand held on to the stones that once made up his headstone as she cried.

They heard her scream, and knew from then on that it was all over. The choke-sob that came from her was so heartbroken sounding that none of them really knew what to do. Carlisle was the first to act, and rushed over to his mate. Seeing her laying on the ground, sobbing as she held a piece of stone twisted something deep inside. It was so wrong. _Angels shouldn't cry._ He thought, Rubbing circles on her back as he knelt beside her. He shifted himself in a way that Esme's head was now in his lap, and not lying in the dirt. He ran his fingers through her hair, never speaking a word. If he had spoken, he knew that at this point in time, she would slap him.

Rosalie came over next, feeling her heartbreak and grief in a way that only she could. She simply put a hand on Esme's shoulder, never meeting Carlisle's gaze. Alice soon joined her, quietly holding Esme's free hand. Bella came not long after, and put her hand on Esme's arm, while her daughter came soon after, getting the dirt off of her Grandmother's face.

The boys, excluding Carlisle, were at a bit of an impasse. On the one hand, they wanted to console their mother, but they also didn't want to say or do anything wrong that would upset her. They stood, frozen with fear as their father and wives went over to comfort their mother. Emmett, unable to endure the stillness, went over to where all the women and his father stood. He sat behind his wife, never saying or doing anything as he crossed his legs. He sat that way for a long time, and soon Jasper and Edward mimicked his idea, just sitting behind their wives as their Mother cried inconsolably.

Even as she sobbed, Esme knew that her family was gathering around her. She knew every time she smelled their scent that someone had come to comfort her. All of the girls were touching her in some way, sympathizing with her, while the boys kept their distance, but were still there. It meant the world to her that her family cared so much about her. She was reminded that her family was always there when she needed them most. This was why they all came- so she wouldn't face this terror alone. With some effort, she pulled herself up from Carlisle's lap, and opened her arms. They all came into them. For a while, nobody said anything, just letting Esme have time to calm down. Esme was the one who finally broke the silence with a very quiet and hushed,

"Thank you." They all nodded in return. She looked up at Carlisle and kissed him, before saying,

"Let's go home." She got up with everyone else, and walked back to the hotel.


	3. Momma

As their flight landed back in Washington, none of the Cullens spoke. They waited until they were safely inside their house to do so. Esme put her coat on the coat rack, trying to process her emotions. What was there to do now? Renesmee was the first to act, Climbing into her grandmother's lap and hugging her.

"I love you, grandma." She said, quietly. Esme smiled.

"I love you too, Nessie."

Once Nessie broke the ice, it gave leeway for the others to start speaking.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" That was Edward.

"Just trying to process everything." She said, softly.

Edward nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Esme?" Asked Bella.

"No, thank you, I'm fine, dear." She replied. Bella, Nessie, and Edward left for their cottage.

"I'm sorry Mom." That was from Emmett.

"You don't need to be sorry, Emmett. There was nothing you could have done."

"Yeah, except screw those grave robbers faces up pretty bad..." He said. Esme lifted the corner of her mouth in a small smile.

Alice and Rosalie came downstairs, holding a package behind them.

"We weren't sure if this would come in time..." Alice began.

"But lucky for us it did. This is for you." She said, Handing Esme the tiny box.

Inside was a silver charm bracelet, which in the middle of the box, had a poem about mothers.

"We laugh, we cry, we make time fly, best friends are we, my mother and me." She read aloud. A grin stretched across her face, a genuine smile.

"Thank you so much, girls." She said. She wished so badly that she could cry after that, but alas, time was not her friend.

"We love you, Mom." They chorused, hugging her before bouncing out the door. Carlisle was already back at work, she realized. She was left by herself.

_Scratch that. _She said, as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was Jasper.

"Momma?" He asked quietly. She looked up at him.

"Yes sweetheart?" She asked quietly. She was surprised that he was calling her Momma. He hardly ever did, and when he did it was for a specific reason. She guessed he wanted her to feel better.

"Could I talk to you?" He asked. He was being so shy- it wasn't like him.

"Of course you can, honey. What's on your mind?"

He paused. "Is Edward here?"

"No, he went back to the cottage. Why?"

"Just wanted to gather my thoughts in private." She gave him a few moments to piece himself together.

"When I was a human," He began, "I had to grow up very quickly. My dad passed away when I was two, and my Mom passed when I was ten. I didn't get the chance to be a kid like I wanted to. And when the war started and I wanted to be in it, that was it. I never got the chance to be..." He trailed off, and she waited for him to continue. "My birth mother, she was really strict. She's the reason I was good in the army, because she disciplined me so well, but I never felt like she loved me. I never got to be a little kid because of that. And now that you're my Momma I... I wanted to share that part of my life with you because I didn't get it with her. The truth is... I _like _being treated like I'm little. I never got to have a Momma. So I guess what I'm asking is, will you be my Momma?"

Esme listened to his tale of tragedy and woe. When he asked her to be his Momma, her heart leapt into her throat. It was like a dream. A beautiful dream she didn't want to wake up from.

"Oh, sweetheart, of course I'll be your Momma." She said, hugging him tight. Jasper hugged her back, thanking his lucky stars that Alice saw the Cullen family in her vision.

"The question now is how old do you want to be treated as?" Jasper thought it through for a minute, then answered, "One and a half."

"You got it." She said.

"Momma?"

"Yes, honey?"

"The others don't have to know, right?"

"Not if you don't want them to." She said, quietly.

"Thank you." He said, putting his head in her lap.

"Of course, honey." Jasper sighed, not having been this content in a long time. Then, doing the first thing he'd ever gotten to do as her child, He stuck his thumb in his mouth and began to suck. Esme simply petted his head, humming a soothing lullaby to him. He closed his eyes and listened to the beautiful music, smiling. Suddenly, a question came to Esme that made her stop singing. Curiously, Jasper looked up at her.

"Why did you stop, Momma?" He asked.

"Does Alice know about this?" She asked.

"She probably will if she doesn't already."

"And what do you want me to tell her if she does find out?"

"Tell her to talk to me. I'll tell her everything she wants to know."

"Oh, you'll tell me more than that." Came a voice. Jasper's head shot up from Esme's lap. How did he not hear someone coming? He ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Hey Alice, when did you get here?"


	4. Alice

"Jazz, what's going on?" Asked Alice.

"You tell me, you're the future seer."

"All I saw was you curled up in Esme's arms, crying. Forgive me if I didn't hit the proverbial panic button."

Sighing, Jasper looked down at his mother for guidance. Esme nodded encouragingly.

"Alright Alice, come sit down while we let you in on our little secret."

Smiling triumphantly, the pixie made her way to the couch.

"Everything that happened yesterday really got me thinking, and until that point I didn't realize how badly I wanted a mother. Esme agreed to that, but there's a bit more to it... You know I never got to be a kid, so I asked-"

"You asked her to treat you like a little kid." She finished.

"Yes. I assume you saw something of that nature."

"Jazz, you scared me half to death! None of those visions were solid but they were all of you with Esme and being really upset! I thought something terrible had happened!" She admonished. Jasper looked down, feeling guilty.

"Sorry." She kissed his forehead.

"I forgive you."

"So... you won't tell?" Jasper asked quietly, looking scared. Alice's eyes softened.

"Of course not. It's not my secret to tell." She said, kissing him chastely.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"Always." Came her sweet reply.

Suddenly Alice's eyes glazed over, and she stood up. "You two better control your thoughts- Edward's headed back to the house."

Jasper and Esme glanced at each other, and gave a small nod. There would be time for their play later. Esme turned her thoughts to Carlisle, and Jasper took Alice's hand.

"Bye, Momma." He whispered. Esme smiled.

"Bye sweetheart." She replied. Jasper smiled at her before taking off with Alice.

Just as Alice predicted, Edward and Bella arrived at the house. "Hey Mom." Said Edward casually. Now in hearing range of her thoughts, he noticed that they had a much more pleasant tone than earlier.

"Feeling better?" He asked, slightly more optimistic. She smiled and nodded, carefully guarding her thoughts.

"Much better. Thank you." She said, politely.

"Good." Commented Bella, "I hate seeing you upset. I know Edward does too."

"That's very kind of you to say. Where's Nessie?" She asked.

"Jake swung by the cottage and took her out for the afternoon."

"How fun. Did he say what they were doing?"

"I think he was taking the new recruits cliff diving and wanted to teach her." Bella shrugged.

"That's nice." Esme smiled.

"Are you okay, Mom? You seem distracted." Edward commented.

"I'm fine, dear. Thank you for asking." Edward quirked an eyebrow in curiosity before dropping the subject.

Not too long after that, Carlisle arrived home from work. She got up and kissed him when he came through the door.

"Hello darling, how was your day?" She asked.

"Good. Saved three lives today, so that's always good. I think the real question is how was _your_ day?"

"My day? It was... full of surprises." She said quietly. He smiled.

"That's great." He replied. Esme smiled, masking her quiet unease. Not five minutes later, Alice and Jasper returned, presumably from hunting considering the honey-gold color of their eyes. She and Jasper locked gazes, and she knew they shared similar thoughts. The need to get out.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk." She announced.

"Can I come with you?" Jasper asked.

"Sure honey, let's go. We'll be back." She called to her husband before she darted out of the house with her son at her side. When she was convinced they were far out of Edward's hearing range, she sat with him under a large willow tree with roots that by themselves could be benches.

"What do we do now?" He asked. "With everyone in the house we'll never have time to do this, and at some point our thoughts are going to slip up."

"We'll figure something out, don't you worry about it, honey." She said, tousling his blonde locks.

"I'm scared, Momma." He admitted. She let a sigh escape her.

"Me too. But we'll make this work. We're going to get through it together." She said, and kissed his forehead. He looked at her with a gaze that was so innocent and frightened that she didn't want to believe the look belonged to him. He looked like a terrified small child, and she immediately reached out to comfort him, scooping him into her lap and hushing him. A muffled sob worked it's way from her throat, and her grip on him tightened. It was in that moment that she swore to protect him from whatever fears he had about this.

After all, it was a mother's job to protect her children.


	5. Bonding

Slowly, they developed the pattern of choosing when everyone would be out of the house. Alice would always give them the heads up, and they would prepare for some Mother-Son bonding time. The first time they did it, everyone else had gone shopping for Father's Day, and since he knew Alice would by something wonderful for both of them, he leapt at the chance to stay home. Finally, when they'd all gotten out of hearing range, Jasper headed upstairs.

"Momma?" He called.

"In the study, sweetheart." He followed the familiar trail to the study to see Esme working on a blue print. "Just give me one minute to put on the finishing touch, and then I'm all yours."

He nodded and sat on the floor, watching her. It was always interesting to watch her draw her designs. It was a little thing that he enjoyed, because she always got so involved in her work. He could watch her face light up at a feature or become serious when making a decision. Right now, she was smiling, so he guessed something good must have happened.

True to her word, as soon as sixty seconds had passed, she rolled up her blueprint, stacked it neatly with the others, set her pencil in it's holder, and then picked up Jasper and set him on her hip.

"How's my sweet boy today?" She crooned, planting a kiss on his head. To her pleasant surprise, Jasper didn't shy away from her touch. Instead he let out a small giggle and buried his face in her neck.

"Aww, are you feeling shy today?" She cooed in her best sing-song voice. Another small giggle and nod answered her.

"Well, we'll have to see what we can do about that then, don't we?" She asked, sitting down on the couch.

"I know what I can do to see that face..." She said. He peered up at her through his eyelashes questioningly. "I can call up the tickle monster!" She shrieked, tickling him. The small act earned her peals of laughter.

"There's that smile I love so much." She said, as she stopped tickling him. He giggled. She kissed the crown of his head again, and he snuggled into her side.

"What do you want to do today, sweetheart?" She asked, pulling him into her lap. She could see him thinking about it.

"I thirsty, Momma." He said, leaning his head into the crook of her neck.

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" She said, standing up and setting him on her hip. He shook his head no.

"Let's go then." She said, going out the back door. "Do you want to walk by yourself or do you want Mommy to carry you?" She could see him thinking about it.

"I can." He said. She smiled.

"Alright, let's go." They dashed through the forest at lightning speed. She found a deer and he an elk. Esme, although somewhat involved with her hunt, always kept a sharp eye on Jasper. The way he sat while feeding on the elk looked childish to her. He hadn't eaten it as he normally would have, which is what human's called the vomiting position. No, instead he drained the life of the deer with his legs spread apart, in a way that reminded her somewhat of a toddler. It was cute, she decided, and she waited until he finished feeding to go over to him.

"Are you feeling any better now, sweetheart?" She asked in her sugar-coated voice. She couldn't help her voice. It was the way she spoke around babies and toddlers. Although she'd been using it all day, she realized she was doing it now, and couldn't help but wonder if Jasper felt degraded by it. She made a metal note of it to ask when they got home.

Jasper thought it through for a second, then nodded. "Yes, Momma."

"Are you ready to go home?" He nodded and wordlessly held his hands up to her, a silent communication that he wanted to be picked up. Esme was more than happy to oblige him. He wrapped his arm partially around her neck, and let the other perch at an odd angle as he started to suck his thumb.

When they arrived back, Esme held Jasper in her lap as she sat on the couch. She watched quietly as she saw Jasper's eyes wandering over different objects of the house, looking at them as if it were the first time he really saw them. Esme noted that he seemed to enjoy sucking his thumb, considering that this wasn't the first time he'd done it in front of her, and put the thought that he needed a healthier substitute into mental storage.

Esme had big plans for this desire of his. She had prepared for every possible request imaginable, and had had one heck of a time trying to sneak them past the rest of the family. Now seemed like the perfect time to give him his first present.

"Jasper," she said, quietly, grabbing his attention, "Will you sit here for just a minute? Mommy has a surprise for you." He nodded, smiling behind his thumb, and watched his Momma go upstairs. He could hear her rummaging around looking for... What? When she stopped, his curiosity level leapt up tenfold. Esme came downstairs with something blue behind her back. Jasper stared up at her curiously.

"Ready?" She asked. He nodded eagerly. "Surprise!" She said, and pulled out a powder blue hand-knitted blanket. The effect it had on him was instantaneous. Shock, surprise, happiness and thankfulness race across his features, and he hugged the blanket to his chest.

Esme was glad to see he liked it. It was an inconspicuous present. It would give nothing away, yet would always be within Jasper's reach if he wanted it or needed it for whatever reason.

"I knitted it myself." She said, quietly. Jasper looked at her, one hand on his new blanket, the other hugging his mother.

"Thank you, Momma." He said, burying his head in her neck.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." She said. She held him like that for Just a minute before she heard the sound of cars pulling into the driveway. Esme looked at him with the silent message that said, "go." Jasper simply nodded and raced upstairs, tucking the blanket into one of his bottom drawers.

Alice danced through the doorway first, going over to stand by Jasper, who had just appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Rosalie and Emmett were next, followed by Edward and Bella.

"Hi kids, how was school?"

"Good." They all chorused.

"Did you find some good gifts at the mall?" Esme asked. Alice immediately launched into in depth depictions of the gifts they all got, while the others went their separate ways, except for Edward, who paused from going with Bella out to hunt to stare at both Jasper and Esme. When both of them noticed, they exchanged glances of panic.

This was going to be an interesting night.


	6. Intrusive

From the moment he heard the odd tone in their thoughts, Edward constantly kept an eye on Jasper and Esme. They were careful to guard their thoughts, and so was Alice. He knew she knew what this was all about, so he pestered her and grilled her for information, all to no avail. She would never betray her husband's trust in such a way.

This, however, led to him using unconventional means to try and find out what was going on.

"You know what to do, right sweetheart?" Edward asked.

"Yes, Daddy." Said Nessie.

"Good. Now go." Nessie skipped her way to the Cullen house, and found her Grandmother sitting on the couch, reading. Easily, she hopped onto her lap.

"Hi Grandma."

"Hello, sweetheart. Is something wrong?" She asked, setting her book down.

"No, I just wanted to know why you and uncle Jasper were so happy over a blue blanket."

_Oh Edward_, she thought,_ you aren't fooling anyone._

"I made it as a gift for him. He was very grateful to receive it, and I was so glad he was happy." She replied.

"Okay. Thank you, Grandma."

"Oh, and Nessie?"

"Yes?"

"Please remind your father that he'll get a broken nose if he keeps trying to stick it in everybody's business."

Nessie shrugged, and walked out while Edward steamed over this huge secret that he didn't know. He hated not knowing things- being a telepath gave one the ability to know everything everyone was going to do right when they decided to do it.

It was driving him up the wall.

It happened on Saturday morning. They were all sitting in the living room when Alice had a vision. Before she could block Edward out, he caught a glimpse of it. Esme was bottle-feeding Jasper.

_What_?

That was... What was that? Somehow, through his confusion, he managed to choke out: "Hey Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, sweetheart." She said. They went out to the backyard, far from anyone's hearing. He sat her on a tree root.

"Mom, Alice just had a vision of you feeding Jasper." Esme furrowed her eyebrows.

"Feeding? What do you mean?"

"Bottle-feeding, Mom." For the first time in his near hundred years of living, he saw panic cross his mother's features. She said nothing, and he was starting to worry.

"Mom? What's going on?" He asked, sitting beside her.

"Edward, I want you to swear to me right now that you will wait to hear everything before you make a judgement on me and your brother. Am I understood?" She said in her most authoritative tone. Slightly frightened, he nodded.

_Okay_, she thought, _I'll show you_. She let her mind shift through the conversation that led to the relationship she now had with Jasper.

When Edward was hit with Esme's memories he was shocked and surprised by what he saw. He had never dreamed of his brother asking such a thing. Jazz had always seemed so... Put together. He didn't ever think he would ask for something like that. When the memories faded, he looked into his mother's eyes, which were blazing.

_He needs me_, she thought,_ and I need him, too_.

Edward nodded. "I can see that now... And I'm sorry for being so... Intrusive."

"I forgive you, but Edward, you must swear not to tell anybody about this. Not Rose or Emmett, or even Bella and Nessie. This is extremely private."

"You have my word." He promised.

"Good." She said, and embraced her son. "Now go on and find some excuse to get everyone out of here so your brother and I can have some time alone." Edward smiled.

"Yes Mom." He went back inside the house and called, "Who wants to go to Port Angeles?"

"Me!" Squealed Alice.

"I'm always up for a shopping trip!" Rosalie said, jumping up. "Come on, Emmett, there's a new car show at the arena!"

"Alright, Alright. I'll go." He conceded. He glanced over to Jasper, who watched from the couch. "You comin', Jazz?"

"No thanks. I think I'll stick around here for a while. See you guys."

"Suit yourself, man." Emmett called, as he loaded himself into the jeep. Alice blew her husband a kiss before Emmett sped off onto the road.

As soon as they were out of hearing range, Jasper shut the door.

"Momma?" He called.

"Just a minute, sweetheart!" She called. He sat on the couch and slipped his thumb in his mouth, instantly more relaxed. He looked up at the staircase, waiting anxiously for his Momma.

Esme came down the stairs, holding something he didn't expect.

It was a teddy bear.

Anybody normal would have scoffed at the present and declared it childish, but Jasper loved it. It was something completely different- someone whose identity he could create or change whenever he wanted.

Momma came down and handed it to him, and he hugged it.

"Thank you, Momma."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." She said lifting him onto her lap. "What do you want to name him?"

Jasper considered this for a moment, before finally answering, "Jack."

"Well then hello Jack." Jasper looked up and smiled at her.

"Momma?" He asked, quietly.

"Yes, baby?"

"Will you read to us?"

"Of course, sweetheart. What story do you want to hear?"

"Lion Kong?"

"Okay, you got it." She made sure he was comfortable before she began telling the classic tale, complete with silly voices for the characters. Every time a new voice came around, it sent Jasper into a fit of giggles. When the tale ended, he clapped.

"Can you tell me another?"

"I have an idea- how about we watch a movie together instead?" She suggested. His eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

"Alright, what movie do you want to watch?" She asked, kissing his forehead.

"Peter Pan!" Came the decree. His choice of movie made her smile. Peter Pan- the boy who never grew up. It was utter perfection. They watched the movie, which finished just in time. Carlisle had just pulled up in his Mercedes. Jasper deposited his bear in his room, and gave it a small squeeze before heading back down.

Some secrets just didn't stay secret for long.


	7. Memories

Slowly, with Edward now knowing what was going on, Esme and Jasper got more time together in the house. Their relationship deepened and blossomed in a short period of time, so much so that everyone in the family noticed it at one point or another. No one ever said anything to either of them, however, so their privacy was never breached.

Quickly, the snowy blanket that coated Forks faded into warm spring. It had been one of the rare sunny days, and had kept all of the kids home from school. Carlisle had taken the day off of work to spend with his family. At around noon, they all gathered together to take a hunting trip. While following the scent of a deer, Esme caught a whiff of something she didn't expect- another vampire.

Curiously, cautiously, she followed the scent to a clearing. There stood a blonde-haired man in a brown tasseled jacket, with ripped jeans and no shoes.

"Hello." She said, quietly. The stranger turned and looked at her, but said nothing. "I'm afraid there's been some sort of mix up, you see-" but her sentence was cut short as the stranger looked into her eyes and she fell into a sort of stupor. The vampire had made easy prey of her. Trapping people in their worst memories was the gift he had and loved to use. Now, as he sifted through her memories, he found the perfect one to use. All he needed to do was utter the opening phrase, and the rest would play out his way. He could hear others shouting for her, so he knew he had to make this quick.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Evenson, it seems that your son has passed away." With that, he ran.

"What?" Esme asked, disbelieving. The nurse repeated the awful phrase, and she thought she might be sick. "B-but that's not possible..." She stammered. The others had finally caught up to her. Carlisle put a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't acknowledge it. "He can't be dead, what are you talking about? He's moving!" She said, hand flying to her stomach. The nurse explained that what she was feeling was called phantom fetal movement, and that her son's body was in the morgue.

Carlisle attempted to get her attention, but she was looking right through him, her heart breaking through her eyes. It was Edward who figured out that she was trapped in the memory.

"We have to snap her out of it." Rosalie declared.

"Yeah... But how?" Asked Emmett. Alice's glazed look came over her eyes. Meanwhile, it hadn't taken long for Esme to start to cry, mourning the loss of her sweet little baby boy. She collapsed to her knees and buried her head in her hands, sobbing harshly.

Edward was still able to hear her thoughts, and they punched a hole through his chest. _Why did he have to die? Why couldn't it have been me? The poor thing didn't to anything wrong. I deserve this... It's all my fault. The last reason I had to go on is gone._ In a flash, her mind called up the image of a nearby cliff, and she scrambled to her feet. She was going to be reunited with her baby again.

She was going to commit suicide.

Just as Esme got up and started to run, Alice called with, "I know what to do!" Before she started running with the rest of them.

Esme bolted through the hospital doors, not caring that her feet were bare as she ran for the cliff. It was a bit of the way up a mountain, but she didn't mind. She wouldn't be alive much longer to hurt.

Finally, she had arrived at the cliff. Wild winds whipped her hair in every direction as she looked down at the rocky waters below. The call of a crow sounded overhead, as if to confirm that death was surely on the horizon. She took one last look around her. The world she had once loved as a child had cheated her and bested her once and for all.

While this was happening, all of the Cullens were calling to her, hoping to break the trance. She finally stopped at the top of a cliff that held a gorgeous waterfall. Carlisle was particularly unnerved, considering that after this point in her life he turned her. Alice, however, was calm, cool, and collected with a plan.

"Jazz, you need to be the one up the closest." She instructed. He nodded, trusting Alice implicitly. "You have to do it with the voice, or else we won't get through to her." Jasper nodded, not necessarily liking the job, but ready to do it.

Esme took another step toward the bluff.

Jasper raced to the front of the pack, and called out, "Momma!"

In the faint distance, Esme picked up the sound, and looked around frantically for it's source, but found none. It wasn't until she heard it again that she realized something was wrong here. Someone else was calling her "Momma". But who? She shook her head several times in an attempt to clear it, and the sound got closer with every shake. Suddenly, the image faltered between the black inkiness of the Ohio night, and the bright brown earth of a waterfall cliff.

It was all an illusion.

When she realized that, it disappeared from sight, and she was now free from it's torment. When she turned around, the sight she saw almost broke her heart in two.

Jasper stood before her, trembling and clearly frightened. His eyes were marred with sadness and hurt, and she heard tiny whimpers escaping his mouth.

Her maternal instinct went into overdrive, and she opened her arms for him to come into them. He did, burying his face in her neck and sobbing into it. She plucked him up off of the ground and set him on her hip, rubbing circles on his back and hushing him.

"It's alright, sweetheart. Mommy's here. Everything's going to be alright now." She soothed. Sniffing, Jasper nodded, but didn't take his face from her neck as he sobbed. Esme shifted him a little so that he sat more comfortably on her hip, and bounced him up and down gently. She kept running her fingers through his hair.

The sobbing didn't decrease in the smallest degree, and soon Esme knew she had to take him home. She could feel Emmett, Rose, and Carlisle staring, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She raced back to the house, the others hot on their tail.

Esme went straight to his room, not bothering to shut the door. She sat him on her lap in the usual position. He didn't move his head from her neck.

"Jasper." She said, gently. He didn't move. She knew then that he needed the security that came with being little. She sat up a little straighter, and said in her sing-song voice, "Jasper."

He peered up at her through his lashes.

"Can you look at me, sweetheart?" She asked sweetly. He did.

"There's that face I love so much!" She cooed, kissing his forehead. He giggled slightly, before laying his head on her chest.

"Momma." He said, quietly.

"Yes, baby?"

"I want Jack." He said, quietly.

"Okay, honey." She said, quietly and grabbed the bear from the side of the bed and handed it to him. He buried his face in it, squeezing it gently. She kept running her fingers through his hair, and when he finally looked at her again, he seemed steadier.

"Feel better?" She asked. He nodded, and hugged her tight.

"Thank you, Momma."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." She glanced up to see Carlisle standing in the doorway. She lifted Jasper off of her lap.

"I'll be back later." She promised. He nodded.

She looked at the door to see Carlisle's questioning eyes staring at her, and she prepared to face the judging eyes of the rest of her family.


	8. Truth

Esme took her husband's hand and led him back to his study, Emmett and Rosalie close behind them. Bella followed shortly after. Esme looked at her daughter-in-law with kind eyes.

"Bella, Edward knows about what's going on here, so if you'd like you can go ask him about it." Bella gave her a bit of a relieved smile, and went to go find her husband. When the door shut again, Esme turned to her husband and children.

"Take a seat, everyone." She said. Carlisle sat in his chair, while Rosalie and Emmett sat on the floor. She turned to her husband.

"Alice knows what's going on. Between her and Edward we didn't have a choice but to let them in on this."

"In on what?" Questioned Rosalie.

Esme let out a sigh. "You all remember the day my baby's grave was desecrated?" They all nodded solemnly. "The next day Jasper came to me and asked if I would be his mother... As you all saw, you know it was a different kind of mothering that he asked for."

"So why didn't you tell us?" Rosalie asked, sounding miffed.

"Because it wasn't my secret to tell. The only reason Alice and Edward knew about this was because it couldn't be helped. It wasn't my choice for anyone to know, but now you all know."

They sat in silence for a time. Finally, Rosalie stood up, and left with a "whatever." Emmett gave her an apologetic smile, before saying: "What you do in your house is your choice."

It was just her and her husband. She moved to sit in his lap. She was quiet for a moment before saying, "Are you upset with me?"

Carlisle's brow furrowed in confusion. "Of course not. Why would I be?"

"Because I kept this a secret from you."

"Love, you respected our son's wishes. I could never be upset with you for that." Esme grinned and kissed him softly.

"How did I get lucky enough to deserve a man like you?"

"I think you've got this the wrong way around." He said, kissing her cheek. She smiled, and let out a sigh.

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?" She'd wondered that from the very start, but had been too scared to ask.

The vehemence in Carlisle's response shocked her.

"Absolutely not! I'd been wondering this whole time what was making Jasper so happy, because he's been radiating it so much. You have made him incredibly happy, and it's made you happier. I've never seen you more fulfilled than you are now."

Esme's surprise was punctuated with an inability to speak. She hugged him tightly, and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go see our son." She kissed his cheek, smiling, and went down the hall to see her son. The door was opened, so she held herself in the doorway.

"Sweetheart? Do you have a minute?" She asked. Jasper nodded. As soon as she sat down, he crawled into her lap.

"How are you feeling, honey?" It was a frivolous question, considering she could feel sadness emanating from him, but she felt it important for him to express his opinion.

"I'm sad." He said, quietly as he leaned into her neck. She rubbed circles on his back.

"Why are you sad, sweetheart?"

"Because." He said, reluctant to say more.

"Because why, honey?"

"Because they're all laughing at me." He said, wishing so badly that he could cry. A sob escaped his throat anyways, and he stuck his thumb in his mouth, trying to keep himself together.

"Oh, baby, they're not laughing at you. Why would they be? They're your family. They always love you, no matter what." She said, squeezing him tight. Another sob escaped him, and she hushed him, rubbing his back and running her fingers through his blonde curls. She was incredibly aware of several of her children watching them, along with Carlisle. She couldn't care less that they were there, but she made it a point to think to Edward _you all need_ _to prove him wrong. _

"What do you want to do, baby?" She asked, desperate to console him.

"I want to stay here with you." He murmured into her hair.

"Okay, Honey. I'm not going anywhere." She promised. She exchanged glances with Carlisle, who just looked desperate to comfort him. After a few minutes, after he sobbed himself out, Esme decided to ask.

"Sweetheart, do you care if Daddy comes in to see you?" For a long moment, Jasper thought it over before he mumbled an "okay."

Carlisle sat beside his wife and son, gently laying a hand on Jasper's shoulder. He tensed a little, but relaxed quickly after. He looked at his youngest adoptive son with pity and empathy. He knew this made Jasper feel isolated and lonely. He couldn't help feeling sad for him.

"It'll be okay, son." He said, quietly. Jasper didn't look at him, but gave an almost invisible nod. Giving his son's shoulder a small squeeze, he exited the room. Esme sat in silence with her son for a long time, waiting for him to calm down. She felt him trying to calm himself, but knew it was a fruitless endeavor. Finally, Jasper spoke.

"Momma?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I'm scared." He admitted.

"Why are you scared, honey?"

"Because I don't want them to see me as broken."

"Jasper, you're nowhere near broken, sweetheart. There's nothing wrong with you. Not a thing." She swore.

"How do you know?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Because I'm your mother, dear. It's my job to know." She said, kissing his forehead.

"Really?"

"Really." He hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Momma."

"You're welcome sweetheart. Anytime."


	9. Repentance

By the time Carlisle had come in the room to comfort Jasper, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, and Bella were standing outside the door. Edward, hearing their thoughts heard echoing sayings of sorrow. They realized it wasn't up to them to judge what they didn't understand, and who were they to judge? Jasper, who had been so dependable and reliable to them through the years. He could hear the worst of the guilt in Rosalie's thoughts.

In all honesty, she'd never meant her comment to hurt him. The simple "whatever" was directed at them being free to do whatsoever they pleased. She hadn't thought of it in an offensive context, but it had come out that way. Alice came upstairs and gathered them all downstairs to explain things a bit further.

"I know all of you feel pretty upset at yourselves right now. The issue here isn't about you- it's about acceptance. Jasper wants you all to accept this part of his life. He doesn't want to feel judged for embracing a part of who he is. He feels like he's being convicted of a crime, and that isn't fair to him. He just wants to feel accepted, and so far no one's been very acceptant." Alice finished.

"It's not like we don't love him anymore, we just have to get used to the idea." Shrugged Emmett. "It is a lot to take in at once."

"Exactly," Rosalie agreed. "It's just a lot to get used to. It's not like he committed a crime."

"You certainly made him feel that way." Edward countered. "I know you didn't mean it, Rose, but it came off pretty harsh."

"Then that's my apology to give, Edward. I made a mistake and it hurt his feelings. For lack of a better expression, that's my cross to bear."

Edward gave her a glowering look, and then turned to his wife. "Bella, what do you think?"

Bella looked from him to Alice, to Emmett, and finally to Rose. "I think this is a good thing, especially for Esme. I think it's a good form of closure for her after losing her baby. And both she and Jasper have been so much happier. It's good for them and doesn't hurt anybody. I think it's a great thing."

Just as Bella wrapped up her statement, Carlisle came down the stairs. He looked each of his children in the eyes before saying, "I agree with you wholeheartedly, Bella. This has been a great form of closure for her. She's gotten so much brighter and more cheerful. Getting to put her maternal instincts to use after so long has made her relax more. It's wonderful." By the time he finished, he looked pointedly at his daughter.

"Rose, it's time to go apologize." He instructed. Rosalie sighed, but didn't protest as she trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door to Jasper and Alice's room.

"Who is it?" Esme called. Jasper's head was now in her lap, and she stroked his curls.

"It's me." Said Rose. Esme looked at Jasper, and asked him quietly, "Do you want to see Rose?" Jasper simply gave a noncommittal shrug. Esme guessed that meant he didn't care either way.

"Come in." The door opened and the tall blonde went in.

"Hey." She said, quietly.

"Hey." Came the soft reply.

"I just wanted to come and say I was sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I didn't care, because I do, Just not in that sort of way." She said. "I really am sorry if I hurt you."

Jasper shrugged. "That's okay. I forgive you." He said. "It's not your fault. That was a lot to chew on all at one time."

"Yeah," she said, nodding, "Just a bit."

She went to go out the door before she hesitated, remembering something he'd said before. "Hey Jasper."

"Yeah?"

"No one in this family thinks you're broken." She said, before quietly walking out.

Jasper blinked in surprise at her words. He didn't think anyone had heard that comment, well, except for Edward, but he doubted that Edward had been listening. He lay there a few minutes, quietly entertaining the notion before he simply sighed. His emotions were all jumbled up and out of whack. He didn't know what to feel or think, and it made him frustrated. Esme, feeling his frustration, made a quick intercession.

"Are you thirsty?" She asked, somberly. Of course he was, now that she mentioned it.

"Yes, Momma."

"Do you want to go hunt?"

"Yes."

"Do you want Mommy to carry you?" This time, he nodded, sitting up and reaching up for her as she stood. As usual, she sat him on her hip and raced downstairs and out the door. She ran through the forest quick as a flash, following the scent of a heard of elk. With a whip of her hand she easily snapped two of their necks.

"Now then, Sweetheart, do you want to feed by yourself, or do you want Mommy to feed you?" Jasper surprised himself by considering his options. He felt depressed enough to not want to do anything, so, not without some embarrassment, he replied,

"Mommy feed me." Esme ran her hand through his hair.

"Okay, sweetheart." Lucky for her, she'd grabbed a bottle for the very chance that this would happen. She went over to the elk and using her teeth bit into the jugular vein. Blood poured out like water would a spigot, and the bottle was quickly filled. The flow of blood stopped just after the bottle filled as she laid the elk back on it's side. She screwed the nipple onto the bottle with ease. She went back over to her son and cradled him in her lap, and she could feel tension radiating from him. Of course he was nervous and embarrassed, who wouldn't be? He was a grown man asking for his mother to feed him. It was a matter of pride, but she knew that eventually he'd let his guard down. For now though, she'd have to be reassuring to him.

"It's alright, baby. Close your eyes and think of something that makes you happy." He did so, imagining Alice in a field of flowers, happy and carefree. Finally, he relaxed, and she took the opportunity to put the nipple in his mouth.

His first instinct was to bite down on it, but he knew he couldn't do that. Reluctantly, he started to suck, amazed when the first drops of blood hit his tongue. The need to draw out the blood gave him something to focus on other than his problems and emotions. He was very still, which surprised Esme greatly. She thought he would have been squirming all over the place, feeling as uncomfortable as he had been. Instead, he was quiet.

She began humming to him softly, smiling when he relaxed further. When the bottle was drained, she asked if he wanted another one, and was unsurprised to see him nod. She fed him while humming, glad to see him relax. When that bottle was gone, she drained the rest of the blood of the elks, put her son on her hip, and dashed home with the feeling of success in her heart.


	10. Peace

When Esme arrived back at the house, she was unsurprised to see all of her children in the living room. She felt Jasper immediately turn to hide his face in her neck, making a pitiful noise that reminded her of a wounded animal. Immediately she started hushing him, murmuring words of comfort.

"Mommy." Came the shaky whisper. Small whines came out of his mouth, and his grip on her tightened.

"Mommy's here sweetheart. It's alright now." She soothed. The whimpers didn't stop. She stroked his hair gently, trying not to startle him.

"Mommy." He whimpered again.

"What is it, sweetheart? You have to tell Mommy what you want. Use your words." She coaxed. The whimpers turned to sobs, and he spent a few minutes wailing into her neck. She went upstairs and shut the bedroom door as his wails slowly died down.

"What's got you so upset, baby?" She asked gently. He sniffed, an unnecessary but effective gesture.

"I want Jack." He said between sobs. She pulled the beloved bear out and handed it to him, sensing this was only a portion of his problems. He squeezed the bear tightly and let out another sob. Esme planted a kiss on the top of his head.

"What's got my sweet baby boy so upset?" She tried again. Jasper tried to think of an answer, but came up short. His emotions were taking over, and he hadn't the slightest clue what to do about it. Upset, frustrated, and still crying, he stuck his thumb in his mouth, trying to find some peace.

As soon as he did that, Esme was reminded of another present she had for him. She was about to tell him she'd be right back when she saw the look on his face. It was so scared and terrified that it was almost too much to bear.

"Sweetheart, do you want to come to Mommy's office? I have a present for you." Rubbing his eyes against nonexistent tears, he nodded. She lifted him up and got to the office, where she sat him down on her chair, while she reached under the desk to pull the tub out from it. Jasper's eyes widened a bit at the size of the tub. His present was in there? Esme shuffled through the tub a bit before she finally found what she was looking for. She put everything back where it was, storing the trunk under the desk, before taking the little package and picking Jasper up to take him back to his room.

She handed him a small cardboard package and gestured for him to open it. Though it was a bit of a struggle, (his thumb didn't leave his mouth) he finally got the package open, and was mildly surprised at what he found.

It was an adult sized pacifier.

He didn't even know things like that existed. He wasn't necessarily surprised that they did, but the concept seemed... Foreign. He looked up at her curiously.

His expression blared the confusion she was sure he felt, so she pulled it out of the package and held it up to him. "Mommy loves you very much, but she wants something a little healthier than thumb sucking to be a habit." She would much rather have something she could clean and sterilize than have him sucking his most likely dirty thumb. The thought gave her chills. "If you don't like it you don't have to take it. It's something I thought we could try." He nodded, consenting, still keeping his thumb locked firmly in his mouth. It was the only thing keeping him from crying. "Do you mind if Mommy goes downstairs for a few minutes to clean this for you?" She asked, quietly. "If you need me to stay I'll stay." He mumbled a soft "okay." Before sticking his thumb back in his mouth and sucking as hard as he could to try and keep himself together. Esme went into the kitchen, shuffling a few pots and pans before she found a small pot. She filled it three quarters of the way up with water, then put it on the highest heat to get it to boil faster. When she got a rolling boil going, she dropped the small object into the hot froth until she deemed it sterile. Taking it out, she poured the water back in the sink, cleaned out the pan, put it away, and ran back upstairs. When she entered the room, she felt Jasper's anxiety, but saw it lift when she entered the room.

"There's my sweet boy." She crooned, sitting on his bed. He crawled into her lap automatically- it was second nature now.

"Are you ready?" Slowly, carefully, he pulled his thumb from his mouth and opened it a little bit so that Esme could put the pacifier in. At first he couldn't quite get the rhythm right, but once he did, it felt natural. His shoulders relaxed and for the first time that day he smiled.

"Do you like it?" She asked, hopeful. He nodded vigorously. He pulled the pacifier out for only a second to say,

"Tank you, Mommy." Before popping it back in. She smiled at the words that could very well have come from a two-year-old, but instead came from her sweet son.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." She said as she stroked his hair. The little thing was all white with what looked to be a baseball in the middle. When she saw it online she knew she had to have it for him. It was just too perfect. He cuddled into her sweetly, setting his head in her lap and shutting his eyes. It was peaceful. A wonderful kind of peace that had been so foreign to him. Here his emotions weren't jumbled at all, and neither were his thoughts. It was a place of serenity that he'd searched for for a long time. Now that he had it, he was finally able to be himself. He was finally free.


	11. Family

Esme held Jasper in her arms for a long time, never moving. She kissed his forehead, humming a soft tune she remembered from one of the many Operas she'd been to over the years. He was so peaceful- it was rare sight. She didn't move until he lifted his head. She glanced at her watch- it was 4:30. She'd better be getting ready. She knelt in front of her son.

"Sweetheart, Mommy has to go somewhere tonight and she has to get ready now. Will you be alright by yourself?" She asked. He nodded, and she went to get dressed. A one-shoulder floor length purple gown was draped across her willowy figure. Shining silver stilettos encased her feet. She pinned her Carmel hair up out of her face and twisted it into a bun, leaving several strands to cascade down her back. Diamond earrings and a simple diamond bracelet were the only jewelry she donned, and she held a small clutch purse in one hand. It was a charity gathering for the hospital where Carlisle worked, and of course she'd been asked to attend. She descended the staircase with grace and dignity with her husband waiting to take her hand at the bottom of the staircase.

"You look lovely." He commented.

"You look dashing yourself." She said, adjusting his tie. She turned to her kids, all of whom were sitting in the living room.

"We're off to the charity dinner. Be good, and don't break anything!" Esme called lovingly. She looked sweetly at Jasper, and then pointedly at Emmett before closing the door behind her.

Jasper squirmed in his seat. He hadn't felt as comfortable around his adopted siblings since they'd found out about his secret. Now, with Mommy gone, he was left alone with them, and he didn't quite know what to make of it. Alice sat beside him and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"We all know why we're here, so you might as well spit it out."

It was Rosalie, surprisingly, who spoke first.

"Jasper, we're all really sorry about our behavior yesterday."

"Yeah, man, we messed up. But we want you to know that we love you no matter who you are or what you do." Emmett continued.

"We wanted to make it up to you by getting to know this side of you." Edward chimed in.

"We just want you to be happy, and if this is what makes you happy then we're all here for you." Bella recited.

"Brothers, sisters, babysitters- whatever you need. You deserve to be happy, too." Alice finished. Jasper was speechless. It was more than he ever could of asked for.

"I don't know what to say." He finally stammered. "Thank you."

"Anytime." They all chorused.

"So," Alice began, "Where do you want to start?"

Jasper thought about it for a long moment, and then answered, "How about something easy? Like a story?" They all nodded in agreement.

"We can do that. What story do you want to hear?" Asked Emmett.

"Hmmm... Pinocchio?" He asked. There was a nod.

"Who wants to read it?" Asked Edward.

"How about we all take turns?" Suggested Alice. They all nodded.

The tale of Pinocchio began, starting with Alice, then Rosalie and Emmett, over to Bella, then finished with Edward. When it was over, Jasper was much more relaxed. He let himself giggle a little. When it happened, they all smiled. Alice's grin was the biggest of them all.

"Now what?" Asked Emmett, always eager for the next adventure. The room turned to Jasper once again. He thought about it for a long time, but came up short.

"I don't know." He said. He tried to think of things he liked to do, but couldn't think of anything. He was frustrated.

"How about a movie?" Bella asked. Jasper exhaled a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He nodded sweetly, and Alice curled into his side. They all took a long time debating what they wanted to see, but settled on Pirates of the Caribbean. As the movie droned on, Jasper soon found it monotonous. Absently, he stuck his thumb in his mouth and began to suck. Alice wasn't unaware of this, but let him continue on anyways.

It wasn't until the movie ended that he realized he was sucking his thumb. He quickly made a point of removing it, mumbling an apology. It was Alice who took his hand, curled his fingers and put his thumb back in his mouth. If he had been human, his cheeks would have been red as a cherry.

"It's okay, Jazz. It's what makes you who you are." Alice stated calmly. The others nodded. A ghost of a smile touched the corners of Jasper's mouth as he continued sucking greedily.

Not half an hour later, Carlisle and Esme returned to the house. Almost instantaneously, Jasper was latched onto her hip.

"Hello sweetheart." She greeted, kissing his forehead. "Did you have fun with your brothers and sisters?" She asked in her animated voice. With a vigorous nod, everyone in the living room was grinning. "Good!" Esme exclaimed and put her purse on the kitchen counter.

"Do you need anything, sweetheart?" She asked, brushing his bangs aside.

"Ba ba?" Came the quiet request.

"Of course, honey, let's get you a bottle." She said, softly. She took off her stilettos and ran into the forest, repeating the same gestures from yesterday to fill his bottle. In no time at all she was feeding him, singing quietly. She treasured these peaceful moments in her heart the most. It reminded her of what really mattered to her. When the bottles were gone, she went back to the house. Jasper stared at his siblings from his perch on his mother's hip, thumb set sturdily in his mouth, and smiled when every pair of golden eyes stared back at him.

"What do you want to do now?" She asked. Jasper smiled with enthusiasm, and said very clearly,

"Play with my brothers and sisters."


	12. Flashback

All the Cullen family came together like never before. Jasper's transformation had bonded them all in a way that they couldn't quite explain. The happiness in the house had multiplied tenfold. Not only that, but for Esme and particularly Rosalie, it had helped close old wounds. Not completely, of course, but a bit.

The days were spent together as much as possible, while the nights were spent apart as couples. It was a fine line to walk, but it was a rewarding one.

Rosalie was the one of his siblings that he connected to the most. He found it a bit funny, considering they shared a last name. As strange as she once found it, she became one of the most involved family members when it came to his age play. She read to him, played with him, and occasionally fed him if he let her. They became extremely close, and Jasper wouldn't have it any other way.

It was Carlisle in the end, though, who really surprised him.

Jasper knew Esme would fit perfectly into the mothering role, but Carlisle shocked him with how well he fit as a father. He was a soothing presence. Someone who always had the sun on his side. It was surprisingly easy for Jasper to call him "Daddy".

Of the family, Edward and Bella were the least involved, not because they didn't want to be, but because they had to keep this a secret from Renesmee. They all agreed that she was much too young to know about this. It was something she just wouldn't understand.

The day had begun like any other.

After a night of talking, kissing, and cuddling with Alice, he finally went downstairs. Carlisle had already left for work, so he didn't know who to expect to be "up". To his delight, Esme and Rosalie were waiting expectantly for him in the living room. Both of them looked up and smiled at him. He crossed the room and went over to his Mother, who held her arms out to him. He came into them as he sat on her lap. She planted a kiss on his temple.

"Good morning, sweetheart." She said, sweetly. He giggled.

"Morning, Mommy." Came the soft reply.

"How are you today?"

"Good." He said, slipping his thumb into his mouth.

"Rose, would you-" before she finished her sentence, Rose was off and back within a second, bringing Jasper's pacifier. Esme had been dead set on trying to curb his thumb sucking. At least with the pacifier she knew it was clean. She popped it into his mouth with ease. He didn't mind it.

They sat there in silence for a while. With Emmett gone hunting and Alice leaving to go shopping, the house was extremely quiet. Esme flipped the TV on and turned to the news.

"In other news, officials have finally caught the grave robbers and desecraters who destroyed several headstones and stole over twelve thousand dollars of jewelry from the Historic National cemetery in Columbus, Ohio." Rosalie looked over at Esme, whose eyes were glued to the screen.

"Alejandro Martinez and William Roberts were apprehended today at one in the morning after another attempted grave robbing. Police say both men had been previously arrested- Martinez for attempted robbery and Roberts for sexual assault. Both men were currently on parole when the theft began to occur. Ohio government officials have responded to the theft and desecrations by having new headstones commissioned for those who were destroyed, and are attempting to return the stolen jewelry to their original resting places."

Jasper looked up at his mother, whose mood had dropped significantly. Her eyes were glazed over, and he could tell she was somewhere else entirely.

Esme flinched at the words "sexual assault." Despite her efforts to keep the flashbacks at bay, she couldn't stop it.

_Charles came home from work to see Esme on the couch, reading._

_"What do you think you're doing?" He asked icily. Esme looked up from her book, startled._

_"C-Charles. I didn't think you'd be home this early."_

_"That's not an acceptable answer!"_

_"I-I was reading." She stammered._

_"Where's my dinner?!" He bellowed._

_"I-I have it on the stove. I didn't think-" she was silenced quickly with a slap upside the head._

_"No, you didn't think, did you? Well, go on! Get my dinner!" He screamed. She scrambled to the kitchen and poured him a bowl of soup. As soon as she set it on the table he rammed her into the wall. Her head bounced off the wall, and she stared dazed into his deranged eyes._

_"What is that?" He asked, pointing to the bowl on the table._

_"It's soup." She said, frightened of what might happen._

_"What kind of a meal is that?! I don't need soup. I'm a man, I need meat!" He threw her to the floor._

_"When are you going to listen to me, you bitch?!" _

_She said nothing. He kicked her face. _

_"Whatever. I'm going to the bar. When I come back I expect a real meal. Not this crap." With that, he slammed the door._

Faintly, she heard someone calling to her.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Jasper called, tugging her sleeve.

"Mom?" Rosalie asked. At some point during the flashback, Edward had come in, hearing Esme's thoughts.

He sat there, watching her thoughts with horror. When it stopped, he waited for her to get out of the memory, and finally, she did. She saw Rosalie and Edward's worried faces, but she saw complete fear on Jasper's. He had felt her intense fear, and was scared himself. Unconsciously, she ran her fingers through Jasper's hair.

"It's alright, sweetheart." She said. Jasper laid his head in the crook of her neck. He let out a sob, and Esme's arms wrapped tighter around him. There were things she couldn't keep him safe from- his past, his thoughts, his mistakes. But this was her burden, not his. And while she couldn't protect him from everything, she could protect him from this.


	13. Moments

Jasper refused to leave Esme's side for the rest of the day. Her mood, which had been low, was happier than it was earlier. She forced herself to cheer up for Jasper's sake. The poor thing didn't need to deal with her emotions.

The rest of her children, weather consciously or unconsciously, stuck close to her. Emmett and Alice found out what had happened from Rosalie. Once they did, they kept near to her. Bella sent Renesmee off with Jacob for the day before she and her husband went in so that he could comfort his mother. All of them surrounded her, an invisible wall of protection. When Carlisle arrived home, with his wife surrounded by his children, he knew something was wrong. All of them split like the Red Sea, giving Carlisle much needed access to his wife. Esme gave Rose a pleading look, to which she nodded and pulled Carlisle aside.

"The news was on this morning. They caught the grave robbers that destroyed her son's headstone. It was mentioned that one of the men was convicted of sexual assault and Esme... Had a bad flashback. We had a little trouble calling her back. Jasper got through to her, but um... It kind of shook us all up. We've been scared to leave her. I'm telling you right now that Jasper won't leave her side. It scared him a lot." She explained. He nodded, a stab of loathing pierced his heart as he thought of Charles. He made it a point to try not to hate anyone, but Charles was the exception to the rule. He hated what the man had done to his wife, but found some comfort in the fact that his son had made sure he was dead.

He went back to his wife, who held their son in her lap, stroking his hair gently. He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. She flinched, which stabbed him in the heart. He brushed it aside, willing himself to forget it, instead focusing on his wife, who relaxed when she saw it was only him. Their eyes locked, and a silent communication passed between them. She was shaken up, but okay. He kissed her softly, and felt whatever tension was in her body leave. When their lips parted, she smiled at him.

Jasper looked up at his parents and smiled. It was rare to see such tender affection pass between them. His Momma flinching away from Daddy made him sad. He sighed a little, and was surprised when Rosalie picked him up and set him on her hip. He frowned a bit at being taken away from his Momma, but Rosalie made it a point to tell him that Mommy and Daddy needed a little time alone and that she would take him out to play. She took him outside the French doors where the green grass of the back yard met the thick of trees in the forest.

"What do you want to do today?" She asked, sweetly. He smiled, seeing Rosalie's soft side. He thought for a long time, then pulled the pacifier from his mouth.

"I dunno." He said, looking up at his sister. "Rosie pick?" He asked, before returning the pacifier to it's place in his mouth.

In his toddler state of mind, he had nicknames for all of his siblings. He was the only one who got away with calling her Rosie, though. If anyone else- including Emmett- tried, she'd knock them flat on their back.

"Alright..." She said, thinking. "Do you want to go for a walk? We can go exploring. Does that sound fun?" He nodded eagerly. He was always up for looking for new places in the forest.

"Okay, let's go!" She said, before bolting off. She moved to the far left, a way they didn't normally go. There were hills and valleys, but they stopped when they found a small creek running through the forest. There was a beaver, building his dam at the little creek. Jasper sat in Rosalie's lap and watched, enjoying the little mammal's show. When the beaver stopped, they moved on. She caught the scent of a mountain lion along the way. She looked at him, bouncing him a little.

"Should we go after him?" She asked. Jasper nodded. She followed the scent until they caught him. She set Jasper on a rock before wrestling with the mountain lion. Once she snapped his neck, she offered him the chance to feed first. He nodded, tearing his teeth into the mountain lion and sucking only a portion of the blood. He gave Rosalie the rest, much preferring to have his mommy feed him. When they finished, they headed back to the house.

While Rosalie took Jasper out, Carlisle spoke to Esme about the day's events, and Esme quietly replied to him. He could tell that just having someone near helped her immensely, and made a mental note to thank Jasper for watching over her. After Jasper and Rosalie returned, Carlisle sat his son on his lap.

"Thank you for not leaving your Mommy alone today. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that she has you looking out for her. I'm so proud of you. Good job, son."

Jasper found himself surprised at the words. He didn't see himself as watching over her, it was always her watching over him. He had a difficult time accepting praise from anybody, but decided that his parents would be a good place to start. He pulled the pacifier from his mouth and wrapped his arms around his father's neck.

"Tank you, Daddy." Came the quiet reply. Carlisle wrapped his arms around his son.

"Anytime, son. Anytime." Esme, who had been in the same seat the whole day, went over and kissed both of their heads.

"That's my boy." She said, and wrapped her arms around them both. She held them tightly for a long moment, and was reminded of the little things that made her life so special. She got the chance to be a wife and mother.

It was the best thing she ever did.


	14. Wishes

**A/N: Hello dear readers! I hope you're liking the story so far! And to all reading this, thank you for sticking with the filler chapters! I promise they all had a point, and it was to lead up to this! To Cullen Cousin, thank you so much for reviewing. I thought it would never happen! Thanks so much for your input, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I own nothing except Angelique.**

Every day for the next week Esme couldn't shake the feeling of panic from her stomach. Something was going to happen, something she couldn't quite grasp. It didn't quite make it into her thoughts, but manifested it in her jumpiness. Any unexpected sound made her hair stand on end. If her heart had been beating, it would have been pounding.

It happened that Friday.

She was sitting on the couch, reading, when the doorbell rang. Her children were all out hunting, so it was she who answered the door.

At her doorstep, was a girl with long blonde hair, a sparkling red dress, and red eyes to match.

"Hello." Esme said, carefully. "May I help you?"

"Are you Mrs. Esme Cullen?"

She nodded.

"My name is Angelique Grayson. I've traveled a very long way to meet you."

Esme was surprised, but let her come inside.

"Mrs. Cullen, I was in Ohio when the grave robbers were looting the graves. I saw you when you saw what was left of your son's grave. I don't know all of your story, but I know that you lost a child. That's a pain that no mother deserves. I lost my own son as a human, and I understand. No amount of time can heal that wound. So I came here from Italy to offer you my gift."

Esme blinked. "What exactly is your gift?"

"I can grant you a wish. Whatever you want. I'm very careful about who I share my gift with, because something like that is coveted, and can be abused. I have seen your pain, and know you have a kind heart inside of you. You may wish anytime you please. When you're finished, all you have to do is take my hand." She instructed.

Esme listened in quiet disbelief. Her mind reeled as she tried to piece together what had been said. A wish? Whatever she wanted... There was only one thing she lacked in her life. The one thing that had been taken from her before she'd tried to take her own life.

"I wish for my son to be alive and healthy." With faith and hope in her heart, she took the girl's hand.

There was a golden glow around where their hands interlocked, and a slight warmth. For a second, there was nothing, then, a small blue bundle was in Esme's free arm, and let out a cry. She looked down in amazement, and looked at his face. Though her human memories were dim, her son's face was the one bright spot in all of it, and the bundle she held looked exactly the same.

"Anthony?" She whispered in astonishment. The little boy reached up to her, and she let him touch her cheek. It was him- he was real. She let out a choked sob, and then hugged the strange girl in front of her.

"Thank you so much." She whispered. Angelique smiled at her.

"It was my pleasure." She said, nodding. "You are absolutely deserving of it."

There was a rumble of footsteps outside the door, and she knew her kids were back from hunting. Somehow, through her awe, she managed to think, _Edward, get your father on the phone this instant and tell him he needs to come home immediately_. When the door opened, Edward was already dialing the familiar number. It was Rosalie who noticed the guest in their home, only a millisecond before she noticed the baby in her Mother's arms.

"Esme... What..." She started, but couldn't finish.

Rosalie looked at her, speechless. Angelique was quick to intervene.

"Are you Miss Hale?" She asked, quietly. Rosalie nodded.

"My name is Angelique. I came from Italy to find your Mother and your family, and to offer you my gift. As you can see, your mother already used it to her full advantage. I can grant you one wish. Whatever you want. And if you'll have me, I would love to grant the wishes of you and the rest of your family." Rosalie slowly looked at her mother, as it finally clicked.

"Esme... Is that...?"

"Yes, Rosalie. This is my son."

Rosalie, bewildered, sat on the couch. "You can grant anything?" Angelique nodded. "Can you..." She paused. "Can you let our kind have children?"

"If that is your wish, then yes. Speak the wish whenever you are ready, and then all you have to do is take my hand." Rosalie looked up to her husband, who took her hand gently.

"Whatever you want. I'll support you." He said. She kissed him gently, then finally spoke.

"I wish I was pregnant with my husband's child."

"Do you have a gender you want?" Angelique asked.

"No." She said, and took Angelique's hand. The glow was faint around their hands, but when she let go, Rosalie felt the difference immediately. She looked up and kissed her husband passionately, smiling. One by one the others made their wishes. None, however, had quite the potency of Esme and Rosalie's wishes. They both hugged Angelique tightly.

"Thank you." Rosalie said. The gratitude in her heart was too big to describe.

"Anytime, dear." She replied, smiling. "Good luck with your pregnancy. Send me a picture if you can." She gave her the address, and then left. Esme immediately got down to business.

"All of you have a job. Rosalie, go to the store and get supplies- diapers, formula, wipes, you know. Alice, go get the furniture. Use my card. You have no budget. Emmett, when the time comes you'll put the furniture together. Edward, I want you keeping an ear out for your father. Bella, go be with Renesmee. With the chaos in the house, she doesn't need to deal with it. Jasper, I want you right here keeping the baby's mood in check. Now go!" Immediately, they all branched off, Rosalie and Alice shooting through the door. Esme pulled Jasper in close to her.

"I don't want you to worry, sweetheart. We still have plenty of time together, alright?"

"Yes, Mommy."

"Good." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

Just when she thought everyone was gone, Edward piped up.

"Mom, Dad's home."

Carlisle entered the room in a blur, worried sick about his wife.

When he saw the blue bundle in his wife's arms, he stopped dead in his tracks.


	15. Twist

Carlisle stared at his wife as if she were a stranger. The blue bundle in her arms... It couldn't be. He walked over to her as if in a trance, and stared down at the tiny infant in her arms. He had been working in Ashland during the time Esme had birthed her child. He saw her and remembered the girl from their fleeting encounter when she was sixteen. Unbeknownst to Esme, he had held her son once- just long enough to see his face, and declare him dead. It was the worst thing he had ever done, and he'd never been able to forgive himself for it- not until today.

He sat next to his wife, shocked and in total disbelief. The face was exactly the same. He locked eyes with his wife, and silently asked her the question that was burning in his mind. She nodded, and he sat there, trying to process what had happened in the short time between when he'd left the house and when he'd returned to it.

Esme placed a hand on his knee, a gentle, calming gesture. He looked at her, and choked out the word "How?"

She began to explain of the blonde haired girl who'd shown up at their door, granting wishes. When she mentioned that Rose was pregnant, she thought he might have a coronary right then and there. It was impossible, granted, but on a day where the impossible had become reality, she didn't discount anything. When she finished, he looked down at Anthony, the small newborn who had surpassed the odds and lived again. It was unquestionable, undeniable, and unbreakable truth. Finally, the reality hit him, and he looked up at his wife as a grin threatened to split his face in half. He pulled his wife toward him and kissed him.

The special secret that Angelique hadn't told her, was that although he looked the same now, her son would grow up with Carlisle's DNA in him, instead of Charles Evenson's. It was her small way of making sure Esme had the child she deserved.

"We have a son." Esme whispered.

"We have four sons now." He whispered back.

"We do indeed." She agreed.

Rosalie breezed through the door with a sort of grace that would have made Alice jealous. Carlisle noted the marked change in his daughter- it was the same change he found in his mate. She put the bags of groceries on the table and started unpacking them.

"I got the formula for sensitive stomachs, just in case he gets colic." She said.

"That's perfect, thank you honey." Esme called. For the first time in recent memory, Rosalie grinned. Esme's cell phone rang- it was Alice.

"Hello Alice." She said, smiling.

"Hi Esme. So I got a crib, changing table, a dresser, and a lot of clothes. Is there anything else you want that I missed?"

Esme thought about it before saying, "Car seat, a swing, a bassinet, blankets and soft toys."

"Got it. I'll be back soon!" Alice called.

"Alright. Bye, Alice."

"Bye!"

Esme looked at the tiny bundle in her arms with amazement. He was her boy. All hers. She kissed his head gently. He was perfect.

When the doorbell rang half an hour later, she knew the furniture was here. At this point she was sure her credit card had to be maxed out, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Boxes piled up in the living room, and she had Emmett start unpacking and building the various items. Rosalie was quick to help him. Quickly, they turned an extra room into a nursery.

Just as the building was finished, Alice swept through the door. Taking one look at the makeshift nursery, she gave a nod of approval.

"It's nice. But now, we get to dress him!" Esme exchanged a look with Rose, smiling. Nodding together, they rushed up the stairs.

All of the Cullen men who were in the room exchanged looks of playful annoyance. Emmett, however, couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. His wife was finally going to get her dream. They were going to have a family. He looked at both Carlisle and Edward, both fathers in their own right. He wondered what it would be like to be a father.

"It's one of the best and most terrifying things you'll ever do." Edward answered. "Fatherhood is no walk in the park, but it is incredibly rewarding."

"Agreed." Carlisle chimed in. "It's the best decision I ever made."

"What should I know?" He asked.

"Rule one- your wife is always right." Carlisle said. Emmett nodded. That was a rule he lived by already.

"Be consistent with discipline." Edward supplied.

"Agree on a method of discipline." Carlisle added. "It saves so much time."

"Enjoy every moment for what it's worth. Childhood is fleeting." Edward continued.

"And never make promises you can't keep." Carlisle finished. Emmett nodded.

He was overjoyed at the prospect of fatherhood.

Back in Italy, however, things weren't so optimistic.

Angelique stood before the Volturi, her first time crossing paths with them in her fifty years of being a vampire.

"Hello, my dear." Aro greeted.

"Hello, sir." She greeted.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you."

"My name is Angelique." She said, quietly.

"Buena sera, Angelique. May I take your hand?"

Reluctantly, she did so. As Aro's knowledge of her gift came to light, he gasped.

"Magnifico." He said.

"As I'm certain you saw, I have a husband And child at home. May I take my leave?"

"Mrs. Grayson, I would like to offer you a place in my guard, and your husband as well. You would make a wonderful addition to our coven."

"Although I'm incredibly flattered by the offer, my husband and I prefer to have the freedom to travel as we please. I thank you for your offer, sir, but I must get back to my family." Before she could get out, two guards lined the door.

"I understand you have a son, Mrs. Grayson. A human. Tony, isn't it? It would be a shame if something happened to him. But if you were to join us, we could offer you eternal protection of him, to prevent such tragedies from occurring. What do you say?"

What did she say?! They blackmailed her into working for them! She was being forced into their guard. But... She knew that threat against her son was real. There was no choice. She turned around with a smile plastered on, and said,

"Where's my room?"


	16. Start

Alice saw it while she was upstairs. The girl with the miraculous powers being forced in the Volturi Guard. It made her want to scream with the injustice of it all. However, she couldn't bring herself to ruin Esme's happy moment. She went down to her brother, who she knew saw it too, and pulled him aside.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

"There isn't much left that we can do at this point. We'll figure something out, but for now let's just enjoy our time together."

Alice nodded.

Throughout the day she was bombarded with visions of Angelique. The most prominent one, however, was that Aro instructed Chelsea to bind her to Caius.

Why he planned that, she would never know, but it twisted something deep inside when Angelique called him "Master Caius".

In their family, however, things had never been better.

Esme and Carlisle were upstairs, trying to get the newborn to sleep. Jasper and Alice were in their room discussing her latest shopping endeavor. Edward and Bella had driven Renesmee up to Charlie's house for the rest of the evening. Emmett and Rosalie had gone hunting again, if anything to have a little alone time.

Rosalie thoroughly enjoyed hunting. She enjoyed having a target to hit and the speed at which she could hit it. When her husband found and drained a black bear, she was unsurprised. After hunting a few deer herself, she returned. However, when the scent of the blood from the black bear reached her nose, she ran into a nearby bush to vomit. Emmett, surprised and confused, still went over to hold her hair back. When she finished, she felt physically weakened. Emmett helped her back to her feet, still holding her up when he was worried she'd fall.

"Are you alright?" He asked, intense concern in his voice.

"I'm fine." She said, weakly.

"You're not fooling me, Rose." He gathered her in her arms, which was surprisingly easy since she didn't fight him, and ran her back home, laying her gently on the couch. She looked up at her husband, surprised. He almost never did things without her consent.

"Do I really look that bad?" She asked Earnestly. Emmett rolled his eyes.

"You're always beautiful, but you looked a little too dizzy for me to ignore." This time Rosalie rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine Em, really." She said, trying to sit up. Reluctantly, he watched her struggle to get to a sitting position. When she did, she looked pleased.

"I think I just had my first bought of morning sickness!" She nearly squealed. Emmett blinked. He'd never seen someone get so excited over being sick. She pulled Emmett into a loving embrace and kissed him quickly.

"We're really going to have a baby!" She squeaked, arms around her husband's neck. He grinned at her.

"Yes we really are." He kissed her quickly, before finally letting her stand.

"I'm going to find Esme and see if she needs any help with the baby."

"Kay." He said, going upstairs to see if Jasper was up for wrestling.

Rosalie went upstairs, and was moved by the scene in front of her.

Esme sat in a rocking chair, a rag over her left shoulder as she fed the tiny newborn. The bottle itself looked to be three times his size. Esme looked up to see her adoptive daughter standing in the doorway. Unsurprised, she nodded a bit to tell her come in. She knelt beside Esme and watched the little boy feed. Carlisle came into the room soon after. Never liking to be far from his mate, he always found her during peaceful moments. This had to be his favorite moment of all. He'd never seen Esme so fulfilled and happy. It was the only gift he'd ever wanted for her. Since the strange blonde haired girl swept through, the Cullens had become complete. He went over to stand beside his wife as she laid him in his crib with more tenderness and love than he thought he'd ever seen. She looked at him with a smile that took his breath away. He kissed her sweetly, thoughtfully, and felt like the luckiest man in the world.

When Emmett went to see if Jasper wanted to wrestle, he was surprised at what he saw.

Jasper had his head on Alice's chest, looking worried. She was murmuring something in his ear that made him scowl. He looked up at her, and she nodded, before she turned her attention to her brother.

"You wanted something?"

"Just wanted to see if Jazz was up to wrestle."

Rolling over onto his side of the bed, Jasper easily hopped off the bed. "Sure, why not?"

The boys left eagerly, leaving Alice to her thoughts.

Rosalie had just left the nursery when a wave of back pain hit her like a Mac Truck. She gripped the stair banister as hard as she could without breaking it. Alice, seeing it from her room, went to lend a helping hand. She carefully got her sister down the stairs, but was thrown when Rosalie swayed and almost fell over. She quickly got her sister to the couch.

"Are you okay?" She asked, gently.

"I'll be fine." She murmured.

"That wasn't an answer." The pixie said. "Do I need to get Emmett in here to hold you down?"

"He's probably the only one who could." Rosalie replied.

"Emmett!" She called, knowing he and Jasper were just outside. He came bursting through the door a half second later.

"Yeah?"

"Please remind your pregnant wife that she needs to be careful where she goes. She almost fell over." Emmett shot his wife a look that was somewhere between disappointment and panic.

"Rose, come on. For once just let us take care of you. It's not just you anymore." He said, with a soft, pleading look. Her resolve crumbled.

"Alright, fine." She conceded. Emmett's eyes lit up with a boyish sparkle, and he kissed his wife.

"Good. Now stay put." He said, moving to the end of the couch to keep an eye on her.

Rosalie sighed. Pregnancy was not going to be a friend to her.


	17. Precious

Angelique sat in her room in the castle in Volterra, watching her son sleep. She always made sure Christian was watching him when she had to leave, being assigned to Master Caius. She was beginning to know the members of the guard, and had a particular fondness for Jane and Alec. Being turned at twelve years old, she felt they still needed a mother's guidance, and she was happy to give it. They were receptive in some ways, particularly coming to her for counsel. In others, they preferred to do things on their own. Tony too had grown fond of all of the guard, referring to them as his Aunts and Uncles. Although none of the guard admitted it, Tony had grown on all of them too. When he came of age, she planned to turn him, wondering what gift might befall him.

"Angelique!" Felix barked, "Time to go!" Pulling up her dark hood, she prepared herself for yet another mission.

Anthony let out a piercing wail, effectively gaining Esme's attention.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She asked, picking him up from his crib. She guessed it was time for a diaper change, thanks to her enhanced sense of smell. She quickly changed him, then sat down in the rocking chair to feed him. Not even bothering to look up, she asked,

"Do you want to feed him?" Carlisle nodded. She handed him the bottle and carefully transferred the baby into his arms. He looked at his wife, always mystified and enchanted by her every move, but this action made him feel more alive than ever. He got to feed his son for the first time. Every tiny move the baby made fascinated him. It didn't take much for him to love the child as his own. The love that burst in his heart when he held the child the first time was staggering. It was the same burst he felt every time they added a new member of the family, only it was more... Concentrated.

Esme watched her husband with a satisfied smile. His compassionate ways were the thing she found the most attractive about him, and this small father/son moment was no exception. It was a reminder that every second of time they shared was precious. The call of "Momma?" Sent her down the stairs instantly. She went over to her son and picked him up before taking him upstairs to the room she shared with Carlisle. She sat him on her lap and ran her fingers through his hair.

"What is it, baby?" She asked quietly. Jasper buried his face in her neck. She rubbed his back calmly, keeping calm for his sake rather than her own.

"I don't know what to do." He said, tensely.

"About what, honey?"

"Alice told me something." He started, "Something real bad."

"What is it?" She asked, looking him in the eyes.

"The Volturi took Angelique. They're making her work for Caius by threatening her son. We gotta help her, Momma. She helped all of us. Thanks to her I can control my thirst, and Alice got all the holes in her sight fixed. You got your baby back, and Rose got pregnant. Emmett even got all his teams perfect winning streaks. What can we do to help her, Momma?"

Esme listened to her son in quiet disbelief. Even though she didn't want to believe his words, she knew he wouldn't lie about something like that. For a second, all she could do was feel disgust well up in her stomach. She recalled the Romanians dubbing the Volturi "Italian Scum", and couldn't help but think that it was an apt description. She kissed Jasper's forehead.

"I don't know, sweetheart, but this won't be forever. She'll find a way out, and if she needs us, Alice will see it. It's going to be okay." She said, and kissed his forehead. He leaned his head into her neck, and was quiet. Esme listened to his breathing for a little while, trying to think of strategies to help their poor friend. She remembered that Carlisle hadn't gotten a wish, and found it odd. Unless... Unless she did it deliberately to give their family a way out if they needed it.

_Of course_. Carlisle, with his compassion, would fix any wrong that was done to his family. Angelique had had a plan after all. A safety net for those she helped. Now that her power was being abused, she needed every loophole she could get.

Esme said nothing and just held Jasper tightly. He had long before slipped his thumb in his mouth, trying to comfort himself, and failing. He sobbed a little, more frightened than he wanted to admit, but said nothing. He clung to his mother, holding her tight, and slightly afraid to let go. She never moved until he finally did. She stood up and brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"It's going to be alright, sweetheart. Okay?" He nodded and hugged her one las time before wandering off to his own devices.

Esme mused over this new knowledge, and wondered what to do with it. She wanted to tell Carlisle, but supposing Aro were to look into his thoughts, decided to keep it to herself. Aro wouldn't check her, she knew that. She was a lesser member of the coven in his eyes, and she was perfectly okay with that. Go ahead, let them underestimate her. It would just end in a bigger downfall for them. She smirked inwardly at the thought. It was oddly satisfying. Turning back to go to her baby's nursery, she went back to see Carlisle holding a sleeping Anthony in his arms, looking at the little baby like he was the most fascinating book he'd ever read. She leaned against the doorframe, smiling idiotically. This was the tenderness the Volturi would never understand.

She went over to him and kissed him. Together, they laid the tiny baby in his crib, and left the nursery holding hands.


	18. Story

**Cullen Cousin: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. It really means a lot to me when I get input! And as for Jasper, well, a little sibling rivalry is healthy. But that'a a story for another chapter. Until then, I hope you enjoy this one!**

Angelique walked up to the Volturi Ancients, taking the black hood off of her head. It had been five months since she had joined the guard, but now she stayed there of her own free will. They had become her family. She had earned their trust. It had been a painstakingly slow process, but she had become one of the most vital members of the guard, on the same level as Chelsea. It was easy to understand- she could give them whatever they wanted or needed at a moment's notice. Therefore, the ancients took great measures to keep her in the guard, most prominently by declaring her child untouchable, despite the fact that he was human. Having read her thoughts, Aro already knew she planned to turn him when he came of age, hoping to find tremendous ability in him. Before she could approach them, she heard Jane calling to her and quickly turned around. She entered the familiar bedroom with ease.

"Yes, dearie?"

Jane paused. "What do you remember about being a human?"

"More than you'd think. Why? Is something bothering you?"

"I just wished I knew more about mine." Ah. So that was the crux of the matter.

"Would you like to hear my story, Jane?" She had never told it in full to anyone but Aro. Jane nodded.

"I was born in Houston, Texas in 1914. My parents were incredibly wealthy, which meant that I got into a lot of mischief. During my teen years I suffered two miscarriages after both of the fathers abandoned me. In my twenties I was arranged to be married to a family friend, who raped me a few weeks before the wedding. I was attacked by a vampire in 1938- a nomad. At first he planned to have me for a meal, until he got a good look at my face. He decided to change me in hopes that I would be even more beautiful than before. He left me to change in a filthy alley, where I stayed hidden for the three days of my transformation. When I woke, my immediate need to quench my thirst was overwhelming. When a man wandered into the alley that night, I attacked without thought. I was out hunting one night when I met Christian. We talked for hours that night, and we haven't looked back since. I decided instead to adopt a child five years ago, hoping that would compensate for all that I'd lost. I received Tony when he was a month old, and have spent my recent years caring for him.

"Wow." Was the only word she got. Angelique sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

Rosalie sighed from her position on the couch. Even after five months she still struggled with morning sickness on a daily basis. She was just starting to show, which made her glow with pride. Although her pregnancy was all but smooth, she had to hand it to Emmett for putting up with her.

Poor Emmett. He had put up with every insult, every crying session, every insane antic that she did. Somehow he took everything in stride, showing her love and compassion every step of the way.

Sometimes she really questioned his sanity.

At this point in her pregnancy she was nearing the end of her second trimester. Her mood swings were constant, unpredictable, and sometimes incredibly violent. The cravings she had for human food were even worse. Her husband had become a chef overnight, preparing an odd bunch of foods that made him cringe. Her current favorite food was peanut butter ice cream with pickles, bananas, and anchovies. Sometimes she wondered if vampires could vomit at will, because Emmett always looked green when he prepared the dish for her. Still, he never questioned her. If his wife wanted human food, he would give it to her without complaint. She carried their child- he had to make sure it was healthy.

When not at work or attending to Anthony, Carlisle often checked in on Rosalie, making sure her pregnancy was on track. It was at this point in her life that she could finally appreciate having a doctor in the house. However, she did wish for the opportunity to have an ultrasound- to see her baby in the womb. It would be so precious. But she was grateful for the opportunity that she couldn't quite make it a formal complaint.

"Emmett?" She called. He was by her side in an instant.

"Yes?"

"Could you help me upstairs? I want to lay down on our bed. That way the bathroom is closer."

"Sure." Came the nonchalant reply. He easily swept his wife into his arms without jostling her, and raced her upstairs to their bedroom. He laid her down with such tenderness and gentleness that she wondered what she did to deserve such a gentleman. Grinning so hard she thought her face might break, she kissed her husband softly, a small thank you in a sea of love.

"Will you be okay here for a little while while I go hunt?"

Inwardly, Rosalie grimaced at the thought of him being gone, but reconciled it with the thought that since he's done so much for her, he should have the right to hunt whenever he wanted to. She looked into his eyes, which were pitch black. He needed to hunt- badly.

"I'll be fine. If anything happens Edward or Alice will know it's coming. Go, take as long as you need. I'll be right here when you get back." She promised. She prayed that words were true and attempted feebly to will them into reality. He grinned his boyish smile at her, gave her a quick peck on the lips, and then rushed out the back French doors, leaving Rosalie alone with her thoughts.


	19. Time

Esme looked at the infant in the crib, amazed at how much he'd grown in the short timespan of five months. For a long time she watched him dream, wondering what he was thinking of. He'd been a part of the family from day one, but he'd become such an integral part of them, it was astounding. Everyone had bonded to him so intensely that it was almost like having Renesmee in the house all over again. He had made everyone so much closer, and had given them a fresh start. It was a way of making new beginnings and closing old wounds for everyone.

Anthony had definitely made herself and Carlisle much closer. Nothing bonds a couple quite like the challenge of having a new baby in the house. It made their relationship much more exciting. Carlisle was always thrilled to come home after work to see the newest member of their ever-growing family. It had put a spark in their marriage that they hadn't felt since their honeymoon. It had renewed their passion for each other, and made them eager for the challenges that came with parenthood. Simple, small achievements were celebrated every day, making them all that much more aware of their blessings.

Carlisle entered the nursery and saw his wife watching over their son. He went over to her and took her hand, gesturing to the door. She followed him, shutting the door with no noise, and didn't speak until they arrived in their bedroom.

"Darling," Esme began, "Is something troubling you?"

"Not at all, love. I just haven't quite gotten all the time I've wanted to have with you as of late."

"We have eons of time to spare." She said, pulling closer to him. "But, I am always willing to put some aside for now." The last bit came out as a purr as she kissed him passionately. He returned the favor with several kisses of his own. It built up until their passion could be denied no longer, resulting in the tender act of lovemaking. When they finished they didn't part from each other. Esme kept her head on Carlisle's chest as he playfully toyed with her hair. It was one of the many little things he did that made her smile. She ran her hand over his chest, always finding delight in it's smooth perfection. For a long time, they didn't speak. Actions spoke louder than words at this point, and it was the small gestures they did for one another that made them strong together.

Jasper looked lovingly at his wife, grinning at her playful swats at his arm.

"And just what are you trying to swat at?" He asked. She looked at him very seriously for a moment, before she finally answered,

"Bad fashion." She looked at him intently. "You listen to me, Jasper Whitlock, just because you have plaid shirts in your closet does not give you the right to wear them- even when you're going outdoors. It doesn't flatter you in the least, and you should know better than to step outside before getting my approval on your outfit. Those are for days when you're going to wreck everything, not everyday wear! I will not have my husband dressed in such brutish attire, am I understood?" She stood with her arms crossed, giving him what could only be described as the ultimate death glare. He knew all too well that she wasn't joking.

"Yes ma'am." He said quickly. Alice smiled and pecked him on the cheek.

"Good. Now go put on something that isn't atrocious."

Jasper sighed, but was quick to do as his wife asked. Putting on a plain, blue dress shirt to go with his jeans, he earned his wife's seal of approval. He heard Emmett mutter from downstairs, "Whipped." Jasper couldn't help but laugh. This from the man who was seeing to his wife's each and every need, no matter how trivial? Yeah, sure, he was the one whipped... He heard Edward laugh at his mental comment before sitting down to play the piano. He heard Bella and Nessie come in midway through, thus changing the beautiful melody into both of their lullabies respectively.

Even though he knew Nessie was in the house he couldn't help but shut the door to his bedroom and set his thumb in his mouth. Time, it seemed, was a rare commodity. Both Carlisle and Esme were often busy, not just with the baby, but with the house too, and with Rose pregnant, Emmett was the only one to tend to her. Edward and Bella were busy raising their daughter, and Alice, it seemed, was never around. He hadn't had anytime to release this part of his personality, and it was getting to be too much to bear. He had to let it out, otherwise it would just keep building up until he exploded. He sucked his thumb and pulled his bear to him. Someday there would be time. They did have forever, after all. He would have time to express himself again, he just had to wait for it.

Being patient, however, wasn't exactly his forte. Granted, he'd been patient when teaching his family to fight, but that was entirely different concept. He knew that fighting took a certain amount of time, it was something quantifiable. This was an indefinite amount of time, and it made him uneasy. He laid there for a few moments, trying to get the lump out of his throat, before sending calm waves to himself. He had to pull himself together. He needed to be strong. The hard reality, though, was that he felt as if he were beginning to fall apart. It scared him, because it was something he didn't do. Somehow, he had to put himself back together. He had to be strong, if not for himself, then for Alice, who always depended on him. Slowly, he put the bear back under the bed, sat up, and, when he thought he would be alright, removed his thumb from his mouth. He stood up, a statue with crumbling insides, and stayed strong, even though all he wanted was to fall apart.


	20. Stop

Rosalie sat on the couch next to her husband, watching the football game that was on the flat screen in the living room. She was just waiting for the next four months to pass so that she could finally hold her sweet little baby. Emmett's hand was draped over her shoulder, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. She grinned, giggling a little.

"What are you up to?" She asked.

"Can't I just kiss my beautiful wife without any strings attached?"

"I don't know, can you?"

"I think I just did, but I can always try again just to be safe."

He kissed her adoringly, and she laughed, kissing him back.

"I think you tested that theory well enough." She remarked.

"Are you sure about that?" He asked.

"I-" her sentence was cut short as her hands flew to her stomach.

"Oh..." She breathed in amazement.

Emmett's hands flew to his wife's shoulders.

"Rose? What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

Wordlessly, she put his hand on her growing stomach and waited. He felt the baby kick a few moments later. She looked up at her husband with amazement. He stared back at her with a boyish grin that was almost out of place on his face, yet was fitting for the occasion. She kissed him, a smile wide on her face.

It was the happiest he'd ever seen her.

"Talk to it." She encouraged. "They say the baby can hear you now."

Emmett sat silent for a while, wondering what he should say to his Son or Daughter. Finally, he kneeled in front of his wife and put his hands on her stomach.

"I wish I knew what to call you, but since we don't know what gender you are, we can't give you a name. But that doesn't mean we don't love you. Your mother loves you with all her heart, and she's so excited to meet you. I can't wait to get to know you. We already love you so much. Don't ever forget that." He said quietly. He looked up at his wife who looked like she would be crying if she could. He kissed her passionately, and took her hand in his.

"I love you." He said, squeezing her hand. She laughed, her voice thick with invisible tears.

"I love you, too."

Upstairs there was a very consistent whimpering. It was just quiet enough to be heard without attracting too much attention. With the bedroom door shut, Jasper lay curled up in a ball, whimpering to himself. He felt like he was going to explode into a million pieces if someone dared to touch him. Slowly, the whimper morphed into a sob.

Esme, who was a few doors down, heard the sob and dashed into her son's room without a second thought. She sat behind him on the bed, and gently laid a hand on his back. He instantly froze at the contact, and let out a pitiful whine.

"Jasper?" Esme asked. She moved to face him and knelt to his eye level. He looked so scared and frightened. She gently brushed the hair from his eyes, and he let out a cry that was half scream and half sob. He curled himself up as tight as he could, shaking slightly.

Esme was at a loss. It was the first time since he'd been babied that he'd shied away from her touch. She wasn't quite sure what to do, but she thought she should start by talking to him.

"Jasper? Sweetheart? Can you look at Mommy?" She cooed. He let out a small whine, but looked at her. She felt her heart evaporate to dust when she saw the clear mark of hurt stamped in his eyes.

"What's the matter, baby? Talk to Mommy." She said, rubbing his back. Jasper clutched at her shirt and buried his face in her shoulder, whimpering like a lost puppy. She picked him up and bounced him up and down, hoping whatever was tormenting him would cease. She ran her fingers through his hair, something she knew he liked. The small sounds of sadness decreased the tiniest amount. Desperately, she started singing him a lullaby, hoping to get him to stop. As the song went on, the sounds began to quiet. She sat on the bed with him on her lap, just like before. Jasper laid his head in the crook of his mother's neck, sucking his thumb intensely. That clued her in some. Clearly he wanted her attention. The thumb sucking was a way of calming himself. For him to do it in front of her made it clear that he wasn't calm. She bounced him slightly on her knee.

"What's the matter, baby boy?" She asked, handing him Jack. He hugged the familiar bear tightly to his chest. He looked up at his mother, and the only thing he saw in her eyes was concern. There was no judgement like he'd expected. Hesitantly, he pulled his thumb from his mouth. It was now or never.

"I miss you. I don't see you or Daddy anymore. I want time with you and Daddy, just like Anthony gets. He gets more time with you than any of us do. We get it, and it's okay, but we want time with you, too. We don't see you anymore."

The last word came out as a sob. Esme held him close to her and hushed him as he cried. She felt guilty, and she knew Jasper knew it. He just hugged her tighter.

"Sweetheart, if you want time with me or Daddy all you have to do is ask. We'll always make time for you. All of you. We love you with all our hearts, and I'm so sorry this got you so upset. I promise it won't happen again. I just want you to feel happy again."

Jasper listened carefully to what she said and squeezed her, keeping his face in her neck.

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, baby." She said, planting a kiss on his head.


	21. New

**A/N: hey guys! Sorry for the lack of chapters, the second semester of college has started and the work is crushing me. In any event, please enjoy this chapter!**

Angelique strode into the room where Caius, Aro, and Marcus were. She smiled and nodded hello before asking,

"Master Marcus, May I speak with you?"

Marcus lifted his head in mild surprise, and sighed before getting up and moving into the next room with her. He sat, and she sat across from him.

"Master Marcus, I heard about what happened to you and I wanted to see if I could help."

"What do you wish to do, child?"

"I want to grant your wish. I want to revive your wife."

For the first time during her time with the Volturi, she saw a spark in his eye. Hope, so long denied and avoided, sprung up in his eyes. He became animated as he sat a bit straighter.

"I wish for my wife to become alive again, exactly the way she was before."

In the most daring act of trust she'd ever seen, he took her hand. The glow seemed unusually bright, and the warmth lasted a bit longer than usual. There was a ball of light standing next to Marcus before, at last, Didyme materialized. Marcus became more alive than she'd ever seen as he ran his hand over her cheek.

"Didyme." He breathed. She took his hand, smiling.

"Marcus." She said, wrapping her arms around him. They shared a passionate kiss, and Angelique smiled. This was what she loved to do. Little moments like this reminded her of the good left in the world.

"It was a pleasure to serve you, Master Marcus, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Mistress Didyme."

The happy couple looked at her, smiling.

"Thank you, Angelique. Your service is greatly appreciated." Marcus said. She smiled.

"It really is my pleasure." She said, grinning. She left the room with grace and poise, and Marcus was right behind her with his mate in tow.

Rosalie stood in the hallway of the Cullen home, her stomach at it's roundest. She was due any day now. She waddled out to the living room, where her husband was watching the game. She cuddled up next to him while her adoptive father sat opposite to him, reading a thick book. Carlisle had taken the next few days off from work to help his daughter deliver. Alice hadn't foreseen any problems with the delivery, but she kept both eyes open.

The pain hit her in the abdomen. She sucked in a breath and looked to her husband in awe.

"It's time." She whispered. Wide eyed, Emmett dashed her upstairs to their make shift hospital bed. He laid her down gently, and she squeezed his hand, a little scared despite all the preparation she made for this.

Carlisle hooked up Rosalie to several machines. One kept track of her contractions, the others were foreign to her, but she trusted him. As the hours ticked by, the pain grew worse. She was panting. The awful, relentless pain was eating away at her. It was pain beyond anything she'd ever felt, even venom. She took Emmett's hand in hers and started squeezing it, breathing raggedly. Every word of encouragement that passed from her husband's lips started to drive her into madness. When the contractions were unbearable, she screamed for him to shut up, unable to endure.

Rosalie breathed in short, gasping breaths, wishing so badly that she could cry. She wanted to scream, but she knew she was already tormenting Emmett with every choking noise she made. Carlisle checked her cervix and reassured her that she was doing fine.

She wanted to tear his hair out, despite herself.

The pangs of pain grew longer and longer, the reprieves from it becoming all too short.

She had no visitors while in her pain-dazed state. It was a good thing, too. She could barely stomach Emmett and Carlisle. She could feel Esme's presence outside of the door, but also sensed her hesitation. She respected her choice. It made her think more highly of Esme than ever.

Finally, it came time for her to push.

It was the most horrific, brutal pain she had ever experienced. She wished to be dead for the second time in her life. It dragged on and on until she thought she had been in pain for weeks rather than hours. She squeezed Emmett's hand so hard that she worried she'd break it.

Carlisle instructed his daughter to push and waited until he could see the head of his grandchild to say it again. She pushed as hard as she could, and, after what seemed like hours, the head was finally out. She let out a shriek as her minimal patience reached it's end. Her pain was intolerable, unbearable, unspeakable. She felt dizzy and exhausted to the point of wishing to be in a coma.

It all changed, though, when she heard the cry.

It pierced her soul and resonated within the very corners of her being. Suddenly, it didn't matter. All the pain, all she'd went through was unimportant. Only the baby she heard was what mattered.

With one final, gasping push, the baby was out.

Carlisle cut the umbilical cord and cleaned off the baby. When Rosalie's pain ebbed, it was like it never existed in the first place. It took her a minute to regain her bearings, and when she did, she asked for her baby. Holding the bundle, Carlisle handed his grandchild to his daughter with the quiet pronouncement of,

"It's a girl."

When the baby entered her arms, she felt the rest of the world evaporate beneath her. Her breath sped up until she noticed her breathing had ceased. It was fitting that her breathing stopped considering that the event took her breath away. She had a daughter. At last, her deepest wish was granted. She planted a gentle kiss on her child's forehead. Reluctantly, she handed the baby over to Emmett and knew the second he held her that he was a goner. He fell in love with her instantly. She stroked her daughters tiny cheek.

"Welcome to the world Lilliana Marie Cullen."


	22. Decisive

Alice saw the vision clear as day. Angelique was coming for a visit. Not unaccompanied, though. Jane and a man she presumed to be her husband, with a tiny little boy clutching her hand. Traveling together. She grinned in anticipation. She knew Jane wasn't there for them. She bounded down the stairs with her usual grace, and saw Rosalie holding her daughter. She'd fallen in love with her niece the moment she was permitted to hold her. She was the only one of the Cullen women who didn't have the desire to bear children. Now, seeing all of the others with babies, she seriously considered children for the first time. Perhaps it would be fun. She seriously considered it, and waited for a vision to come her. When it did, it was hazy and indecisive. It made her more than a little irritated.

Jasper, on the other hand, was busy being a child.

Esme had her son in her lap, telling him a story while he listened, enraptured. She had made it a point to make time for him in lieu of the new baby. She enlisted his help with Anthony in hopes of making him feel important and involved. Carlisle too had begun setting time aside for all of his children, particularly for his newest grandchild.

Lilliana was a human vampire hybrid just like Nessie. Angelique had wanted her to have the human experience, but made sure she was vampiric too. She was the pride and joy of her parents despite the fact that she wasn't fully like them.

Though she wasn't fully vampiric, it didn't make her any less beautiful.

Her hair was the blonde, straight cornsilk of her mother, with the facial structure of her father. Her eyes were brown and dark, adding to her beauty. She was the spitting image of her mother.

Rosalie had taken motherhood with the same finesse that Esme had. They often sat together on the couch with their children in their arms, discussing nearly every aspect of babyhood. Esme understood Rosalie's need to always be with her child. She considered it vital, more so for her because Lilliana would grow quickly, just like Renesmee. Rosalie had forged a strong bond with her adoptive mother in the short time she'd had with Lilliana. The joy of motherhood had brought them ever closer, giving both of them a good emotional climate. Jasper gravitated toward them, but neither of them really noticed. Alice took those times as opportunities to go shopping for her new niece, always coming back with a wardrobe full of new clothes which Rosalie gladly accepted.

In light of Rosalie's recent emergence into motherhood, Edward had come to the house a lot more. Having a daughter had alleviated Rosalie of her selfish and shallow thoughts. Now that she was focused on her daughter she was much easier for him to stomach. He now brought Bella and occasionally Renesmee by with increasing regularity. Renesmee was quick to watch her cousin and see how she grew, comparing it to the way she grew and changed. She felt happy that she wasn't the only hybrid in the family anymore- she wasn't different or alienated because of her uniqueness. It gave them a closer relationship because they were bonded in such a special way.

The only relationship that hadn't changed was Rosalie and Jacob's- and that's how they liked it. Or didn't like it depending on how you looked at it.

However, the Quiliete pack had become important in a completely different way.

It had been just hours after Lilliana was born. Rosalie held her daughter as she fed her, and put her head over her shoulder to burp her. Seth had walked in for a visit and to check in with Jacob when he made eye contact with her and froze.

She was complete and utter perfection. The one ray of sunlight that was going to burn bright for all eternity. The flame that nothing could extinguish. He fell to his knees with the weight of the revelation.

He had imprinted on her.

She was all that mattered now. Nothing would ever harm her now.

When Edward informed Rosalie and Emmett of this, Rosalie was disgruntled. Emmett wasn't particularly thrilled, but he liked Seth enough to not want blood like his wife did. It was he who calmed her down over it (having taken three hours to do so) and made her somewhat at peace with the wolves.

Seth since then had been a constant in the house, right alongside Jacob.

Alice finally pulled Jasper aside after the drama over Seth's imprinting had subsided. She sat down on the bed with him, looking at him very seriously and intently.

"Jasper," she said, quietly, "what do you think about us having children?"

He looked at her earnestly, not surprised by the question but a bit puzzled as to why she chose now to bring the subject up. Although he hadn't been able to produce children, his mind still brushed upon the topic on occasion.

"I don't object to the idea." He said. "This is your decision."

"But that's unfair!" She whined. "I don't know what I think so I needed a straight answer out of you."

"There is no straight answer to that question for me. I didn't even know it was possible in the first place. If you want this, I'll support you. But it's your body and your decision in the end." He wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and glanced out her bedroom to see a bird nestled over her three eggs. Slowly, the baby birds began to hatch, and she watched the mother bird intently. There was joy in her eyes. She could clearly see that. The baby birds peeped constantly, clearly hungry. She watched the mother bird feed her tiny chicks. Although it wasn't exactly a beautiful scene, there was something about the act that seemed to radiate intense love. She looked at her husband's face before planting a kiss on his lips and whispering,

"Okay."


End file.
